Betty Mitchell Scholarship

The Betty Mitchell Scholarship was established by the Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity to acknowledge the ideals of academic excellence, leadership, and commitment demonstrated by Betty Mitchell, a charter member of Beta Eta Chapter, and to ensure the continued development of these ideals among Greek students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Betty Lou Hill Mitchell (‘49, MA ’50) began her career with the Department of English in 1946 as an undergraduate office worker and retired 51 years later as associate professor and assistant to the chair, a role she served since 1949. She helped create the department’s Writing Across the Curriculum program and developed the English 290 and 391 courses. She published four books on local history: Delyte Morris of Southern Illinois University; Southern Illinois University: A Pictorial History; 100 Years: The Woman’s Club of Carbondale; and Carbondale, A Pictorial History, which received the Illinois State Historical Society Certificate of Excellence.

Mitchell was an active representative on departmental and campus committees as well as community activities. Service commitments included participation in Morris Library, Student Development, the University Museum, the Greek system on campus, the Magic Mentor program, the athletic program, the SIU Foundation, and a plethora of community organizations: the Carbondale Public Library, Girl Scouts of America, Cub Scouts, the YMCA, Carbondale City Panhellenic, the American Heart Association, the Carbondale Arts Festival, and others.

Mitchell received numerous awards from both the University and the community. She received the SIUC Distinguished Service Award, the Lindell W. Sturgis Memorial Public Service Award, the COLA Outstanding Teacher Award, the Outstanding Greek Advisor Award, the Student Affairs Service Award, the Inter-Greek Council award, the Carbondale Panhellenic Woman of the Year Award, the city of Carbondale’s Citizen of the Year Award, and the Arc of Epsilon Pi with Diamonds for service to Alpha Gamma Delta.

The scholarship has been established by the Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity, a student organization which Mitchell joined in 1945. She served the chapter with unwavering dedication for decades. Mitchell served as an advisor for an unprecedented 46 years, from 1952-1998, and as permanent secretary for the alumnae chapter from 1959-1997. She edited Inside Southern, the group’s annual alumnae newsletter, from 1963-1996.

Betty Lou Hill Mitchell was a role model for generations of SlU Greeks. This scholarship has been established in order to ensure that her ideals of academic excellence, leadership, and commitment continue to be developed and rewarded among Greeks at SlU. The scholarship recipient will be an SIU undergraduate who demonstrates both academic excellence and leadership in a Greek organization, SlU, and the community.

• Scholarship for a full-time student who is a member of a National Panhellenic Council (NPC), a National Interfraternity Council (NIC), a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), or a Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) organization.
• Recipients must have a minimum GPA of 3.5.